Apparatus for measuring volume of bottom hole portion of well bores



lVlairchQEZ,1943.

R. L. HUNTlNGTON 2,314,540

APPARATUS FOR MEASURING VOLUME OF BOTTOM HOLE IORTION 0F WELL BORESFiled Dec. 30, 1941 R. L. HUNTINGTON A'ITORN Y v with a compressor .20,and av lume Patented him 23,1943:

UNITED STATES memorriqa I I 'srranarusroatr tzgamavonm or of Delawareno'r'romnonnroa'rron or WEILBORES- meme n Huntington, Norman,

to Phillips Petroleum Company,

th., assignor a corporation Application December 30, 1941: Serial No.425,009

2 Claims.

' This invention relates to the exploration-ct wells and moreparticularly to apparatus for determining the size oi various cavities,including bottom hole cavities of well bores.

In present-day practice in the petroleum industry, a knowledge of thesize of cavities in well bores is desirable in order that an operatorsprocedure for producing hydrocarbon oil and gas may be simplified andmade less expensive. A few of the instances wherein the size of thecavity in a well bore should be known by an opere ator are during thegravel packing of a well bore and during the tam'ping' of'an explosivecharge in a borev hole preliminary to discharging. the

same. operations, such as gravel packing, it is custom- Ordinarily incarrying out'various well 1 ary that'suppliesl of materials in excess orthe amount estimated to be essential be kept on hand. By knowing thevolume or a particular well cavity, the operator can secure exactquantities of supplies that will be the hauling cost and investment-inexcess materials. Further, by ascertaining bore hole prior to shooting"a well and after the cleaningout process, an operator is able todetermine the efiectiveness of the shot,

By the practice of my instant invention, I am able to more accuratelydetermine the size of a' well cavity than with present-day apparatus,and moreover, I may do this readily and economically,

It is therefore the primary object of my invention to provide apparatusfor effectively determining the size of various cavities, including.bottom hole cavities of well bores, Other important objects andadvantages obtainable by practice of my present invention will beapparent to persons skilled in the art by reference to the followingdescription and annexed drawing which is an elevation view of apreferred embodiment of the apparatus of my invention partlyincross-section. K

' Referring to the drawing, I have denoted therein'a well bore byreference numeral ll Well bore i0 extends downwardly from the surface:of the ground 12, which is formed at the lower end oi the well bore.Contained withinthe well bore is a casing it, having a closure i4,which-is adapted to string of oil well tubing l concentricalcasing. Acap' I] is provided on of tubing II which communicates i1 through aconduit l4. pressure indicator It, a temperature indicator indicator 2iare preferably protime the bag is in a deflated position.

needed, and thereby avoid the size of it the'pressure will rise II to awell cavity or bottom hole threadedly connected to vided on conduit andclosure" l4.

connected to the vided with an annular groove face. A bag 24, which ispreferably composed of an elastic, resilient, inflatable, distortable,oilresistant material, such as synthetic rubber, covera the lower-fendof the string of tubing and extends upwardly around ring 22 and overgroove 21. Positioned above the portion of the bag cove ering groove-22is a sleeve 25, the upper end of which abuts a protector member 26 whichis the lower end of the tubing in a manner'whereby sleeve 25 causes thebag to. make .sealing contact with groove 23. Protector 24 extendsdownwardly beyond the lower end of the tubing, protecting the bag whileit is beinglowered through the casing, at which A ring 22, which is.threadedly Referring to the drawing, let us'assume that my instantinvention is assembled and positioned in the bore hole, as shown.therein. A gas is compressed by compressor I1 and conveyed throughconduit 18 and tubing I! to the interior of bag 24 where the gasdistends its outline conforms with the walls .of cavity 12. The volumeof gas within the bag will then substantially equal thevolume of thecavity. It will be noted that bybbserving injected gas on pressureindicator l8 that the pressure of gas will rise comparatively slowlyuntil the bag is fully expanded, at

sharply.v By knowing the volume, pressure, and temperature, of the gasat the surfaceof the ground, as indicated on the pressure, temperature,and volume indicators, the

volume of gas in bag 24 can be determined and hence the .volume ofcavity l2 can likewise be determined. In determining thevolume of bag 24corrections for temperature and pressure in well cavity l2 must beconsidered. By knowinB the pressure and temperature of the gas in bagY24 and the volume or gas be readily comprehendedby persons 7 the art.vIt is to be clearly understood, however, that various changes in theapparatus herewith shown and described and in the method of practicing'the'invention, outlined above, sorted to without departing from thespirit or II intermediate the compressor lower end of the tubing, ispro- 23 on its upperthe bag until the pressure of the which time passingthrough volit is believed that the apinstant-invention will skilled inmay be re' cavity, the lowermost end of saidconduit including' adownwardly flanged protective member, 'a flexible inflatable memberdisposed in fluid tight reiationwith the lower portion of the conduitand communicating therewith, said inflatable member being retractablebeneath the protective member when deflated and mean for transmitting ameasured quantity of fluid under pressure throughthe conduit and intothe member to inflate the same until it substantially conforms with theconfiguration of the surface of the cavit).

2. In apparatus for determining the volume of the bottom hole portion ofa wellbcre, the

combination comprising a string of tubing in the well bore and extendingto the lower por tion thereof, an inflatable container disposed belowthe lower end of the tubing, means for hermetically securing thecontainer to the lower end of the tubing, said means including a groovedring threaded to the end of the tubing, a sleeve urging the mouth of thecontainer into said groove. and a downwardly flanged protective memberthreaded to the tubing and bearing against said sleeve, the inflatablemember being retractable beneath the protective member when deflated andmeans for transmittinga measured quantity of gas downwardly through thetubing and into the container under s ufllcient pressure to inflate thecontainer until it contacts substantiaily the entire surface of thebottom hole.

RICHARD L. HUNTINGTON.

